I am convinced

Working for commercial lco's is nothing but a dead end street. I was once an owner but had to get out after Katrina, luckily I sold what I had to a close friend. I learned a trade and thought it would be the answer but it wasnt because I am cursed with liking this line of work.

So i got out of the welding business and went back to work in the field as a foreman, it was nice to get back outside for the summer but the money just wasnt worth the hassle of being someones ***** so to speak. I tried a larger maintenance company only to get the same results with twice the hassle.

So now I am at a crossroad, do I hit the streets and start over? I am back in school getting the Landscape Operation Management degree in hopes that I will learn something new to market myself with. I hate being told what and how to do things when I have been there and done that. I think I am answering my own question but the only other alternative is working for someone. I honestly dont think it ever work out after being an owner for those years and knowing what is really going on. I feel like I am dumbing myself down just to keep the peace because I am over-qualified.

I dont mean to sound boastful about my qualifications but I want to know if anyone has a suggestion. I think every lco wants someone like myself but they are scared I or another person like myself might take over their customers and or business, plus who can pay their bill making 13-15 bucks an hour?

I'm a horrible worker when I work for other people, and constantly feel as though I could do everything better than the people in charge. That's the reason why I started my own business, and I was right. Go for your own business again.

Dumb yourself down and go back to work for someone else, and start putting away MONEY (as much as possible).
I dunno, start with $20 / month or $20 / week or more, if you can afford it, you put away as much as you can every single check.
And you need to be debt-free, so pay off credit cards and stupid recurring bills (auto insurance needs to be paid in one lump sum, etc.) and either pay off the car or sell / then buy a cheaper one, anyway you got to be at $0 debt while you save it, too.
Doesn't matter if it's $50 / day, look, $20 here and $100 there, it adds up over time so just keep putting it away (oh yeah, and don't spend it).
And keep doing that, do the dirty do and kiss good tail politely and smile and pretend you like it, and keep saving your money.
Do this for a long time (at least 2-3 years) and right when you can't stand it anymore, do it some more (and keep putting away the money and dumbing yourself down and hate all of it a little bit too).

Yup, yup, do that until you got yourself a nice little nest egg, more than a few thousand dollars cash in the bank.
Look, I dunno how much you need other than more is better, and at LEAST 5 thousand (and you REALLY need 8-10 and more is still better).

Then, you get to that point with the money so one day turn in your 2-weeks notice ok?
And finish working those 2 weeks properly, and start your business with the money you have saved.

If you do it that way, hopefully you'll never look back with regret.
It's the only way I know of that works.